Features two VIA VL812 Rev B2 hub chipsets with the latest v9095 firmware for maximum compatibility and performance with most USB 3.0 host controllers along with BC 1.2 smart charging on ports 6 & 7. This firmware also allows the hub to be a stand-alone (not connected to host computer) smart USB charger (ports 6 & 7) able to select the best charging mechanism for the attached device.

Sleek, piano black, glossy UV clear-coat finish with all 5 ports on one side and the two charging ports on top to minimize cable clutter and maximize accessibility.

Individual LED status indicators for each USB port and USB over-current protection supporting up to 900mA per port (up to 1.5A for BC 1.2 devices).

Product Description

Expand USB connectivity by connecting up to seven USB 3.0, 2.0, or 1.1 devices to any USB 2.0 or 3.0 capable desktop, laptop, or tablet computer. The hub supports USB 3.0 transfer rates up to 5Gbps (640MBps) to allow data to move quickly between devices, ideal for high-throughput devices such as USB hard drives, flash drives, and USB video adapters.

USB has become more than a way of connecting devices to a computer. With plug and play ease and high performance, USB has also become the method of choice to power and charge a range of battery-powered devices from headsets and controllers to phones and tablets. Some of those mobile devices have adopted proprietary mechanisms to draw more power than USB 3.0 was designed to allow, which has caused confusion about charging.

That is being solved by the Battery Charging (BC 1.2) Standard – when both the device and the hub/charger are BC Standard compliant, it can charge at a faster rate (up to 1.5A) in a standard and predictable way.

The Plugable USB3-HUB7C2 is capable of doing everything existing USB hubs can do, plus it supports the Battery Charging Standard (BC 1.2) on the last two ports (6 & 7). This makes it a no-compromise solution for both gaining extra USB ports and for charging the newer generation of BC 1.2 compliant devices. Both charge and sync (CDP) and dedicated charging (DCP) are supported along with support for other proprietary charging signals when being used as a stand-alone charger, as long as the phone or tablet connected also supports these modes.

This hub can act as a standalone charger on ports 6 & 7 and can charge phones and tablets as it has special charging functionality for charging iPads, iPhones, and other tablets and smartphone devices. It is also BC 1.1 / 1.2 compatible.

Some devices such as the Apple SuperDrive look for Apple-specific signaling and will not work when connected through any USB hub.

We do not recommended this hub for use with USB 3.0 PCI-e add-on cards for older Apple Mac Pro systems because of limitations in their software support for USB 3.0 hubs.

2.4Ghz wireless devices such as wireless keyboard/mouse receivers, Bluetooth and WiFi adapters, may not work in close proximity to USB 3.0 devices or hubs. Connecting wireless devices to a USB 2.0 port is recommended for best results.

USB Charging

Battery charging over USB has become a standard practice but the actual charging behavior of different devices is often unpredictable and sometimes disappointing. The devices themselves decide how much current to draw and manufacturers haven’t settled on a single standard. We constantly test our products with as many different devices as possible and publish the results so it’s easy to determine the charging behavior to expect from your device on each of our USB products. Please revisit this page soon for an updated USB charging behavior chart.

FAQ

Q: I connected my hub but nothing is happening. No LED lights are turning on.A: Double check that the power adapter has a green LED light, if not double check your AC outlet is working. Also please note that 7 blue LED per-port status lights only turn on when the hub is attached to a running host computer and a USB data device is connected. Charge-only devices will draw power, but will not trigger a light.

If the hub is getting power and a USB data device is attached to the hub but no LED is turning on for that port, try connecting the device to a different port, or try connecting a different USB device to the hub. A simple device like a mouse or keyboard is a good test. If there is still no light and the device is not detected, fully unplug the hub from all devices, power, and USB cable to the host computer. Then reconnect the power cable first, USB host cable next, and USB devices last.

Q: Some ports have stopped working, but the other ports work fine.A: Fully unplug the hub from all devices, power, and USB cable to the host computer. Then reconnect the power cable first, USB host cable next, and USB devices last. If that does not resolve the issue, please contact our support.

Q: Do I need a firmware update for my hub?A: The hubs are shipped with up-to-date (9105) firmware from VIA. If firmware updates are available in the future, we will post them on our firmware update page here.

Q: Is the AC power adapter required?A: Yes. The hub is not capable of running in bus power mode (from the host PC).

Q: I accidentally connected a 12V power supply instead of the included 5V power supply and damaged my hub. My devices attached to the hub may have also been damaged. What can I do?A: Unfortunately as this is considered user error, we cannot repair or replace any damaged items. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Q: What do the blue LED lights indicate?A: There is a blue led for each of the downstream USB ports on the hub. The LEDs turn on when a USB device is connected and recognized by the operating system. These lights may turn off even though a device is connected when the host computer operating system puts the device to sleep to conserve power. There is no master light to indicate the hub is receiving power.

Q: Can the hub’s charging ports charge and sync iPods/iPads and other smartphones?A: Yes, on the last two ports (6 & 7). Only Apple devices that use the Lightning connector support BC 1.2 charge and sync. Apple 30-pin dock connector devices that require special signaling such as the original iPad go into data only (sync) mode when attached to this hub. Most Android and Windows phones and tablets support charge and sync functionality.

Q: Can the hub’s charging ports be used for regular USB devices? Will these ports damage my devices?A: The charging ports function just as any other regular non-charging port for standard USB devices that do not require charging functionality. There should be no issues connecting a standard device to a charging port.

Q: Can the hub support 7 devices which use the full 900mA current allowed by the USB 3.0 power specification? (with up to 1.5A on the BC 1.2 ports)A: Technically no, the supplied power adapter delivers 5A of available current across all USB ports which leaves us 2.5A short (5 * 900mA + 2 * 1500mA = 7.5A). In the real world however, it will be hard to find 7 USB devices that will use the full 900mA. So you can be confident that you can use all the 7 available ports at the same time.

Please note that there are edge case scenarios where this will not be true. Taking external USB bus powered hard drives for example. Often these drives require 500mA to 900mA of power. This hub in theory should be able to power at least 4 at the same time but may not have enough power left for other devices.

Q: Does the power supply switch for different regions or is it tied to US voltage and frequency?A: The switching power adapter with our 7 port hub supports inputs of 100-240V at 50/60 Hz. Output is at 5V 5A.

Q: Is this hub a good match for my Raspberry Pi?A: Because the Raspberry Pi is a USB 2.0 device and can’t take advantage of USB 3.0 functionality as well as mixed results from users, we do not recommend this hub for use the Raspberry Pi. The hub we do recommend is our 7 port USB 2.0 hub. Here’s a link with more details: A USB Hub that Works Well with the Raspberry Pi.